Twilight Sparkle has overcome many trials and tribulations, all of which have challenged and changed her. Now, as a ruler of a new demesne of Equestria, she must face the world in a new light and learn the rules to play the game.

Things are different in the world of sovereigns. Foreign rulers are not as understanding or compassionate as Princess Celestia, nor are they as forgiving. Twilight must find a balance between being an effective ruler, and a strong diplomat. But with new trials arising at every corner, can she manage to maintain herself? What sort of ruler will she become? And will she manage to protect her own little ponies?

It's been two months since Twilight and Big Macintosh started dating, and what a wonderful two months it's been. As their relationship blooms, Twilight finds out through Applejack that not all of the Apple family may be keen on a relationship that includes one of their own kin, and a unicorn. Worried about their future together, Twilight asks Big Macintosh for the biggest favor she can think of...to visit his entire family, and see if they can't break old traditions.

This is the sequel to Sparkling Cider, my first fan-fiction. It isn't necessary to have read Sparkling Cider to understand Old Traditions, but it certainly wouldn't hurt!

Credit for the cover image goes to ode2sokka on deviantart. It's an amazing image!

Thanks to all my followers who have been waiting for the sequel, you guys rock!

In a moment of weakness, Chrysalis had more than a taste of Shining Armour's love. 11 months later, Twilight Sparkle finds herself a brand new niece by way of 'A small foal in a basket on my door step'.

Special thanks for the picture by Awilldrawforfood1
Now edited with DoomManta.

The star system Omega Centauri was just another oddity on a map to scientists in the not too distant future. However when they found the star was orbiting an earth-sized, earth-like planet instead of a black hole as its motion had suggested, a mission was scrambled to investigate this most unusual of celestial behaviors.

Hamstrung by politics, and nearly crippled before it began, the 'Lone Ranger' mission was reduced to just one crew member and left to his own devices.

These are the logs of Arrow 18 and its lone commander. This information is classified TOP SECRET by the Global Space Agency.

Do NOT tell the princess.

One thousand years ago, history was changed.

One thousand years ago, Nightmare Moon was killed.

One thousand years ago, Equestria broke, and Celestia had to put it back together.

Special thanks to Skeeter The Lurker and Craine for their help with ideas and pre-reading.

Inspired by the cover art, used with the permission of the artist, LeStrangeLady.

[Originally planned to be a longer fic. I might return to this and continue it beyond just a one-shot in future.]

Twilight becomes alicorn of the stars. This is sort of a problem, because Luna kind of already was alicorn of the stars. Oops!

TV Tropes

Written for the contest in this thread.

What would you do if you woke up with god-like powers? What if the Goddess you love is without her own magic? What if Pinkie Pie's alicorn fetish was never important, until now? What if you're Twilight Sparkle and nothing makes sense anymore? The Answer: Equestria is sooooo boned.

Belated thanks for excellent editing of this beast goes out to Knight of Cerebus.
JKinsley helped with proofreading.
General encouragement/idea bouncing help from Misago.

Some Canterlot entertainers aren't just musicians... and some ponies fall in love with them anyways.

When one of Equestria's most popular cellists appears at Twilight's birthday party, it's just another gig for Octavia, but a shock for Twilight and the rest of the party-goers. She arrives, wishes Twilight a happy birthday, wows them with her beautiful music, wows them with her musical beauty, and doesn't leave until after everypony else has left. So when a few ponies suggest that this 'entertainer' might be more than just a musician... some eyebrows are raised, but nothing more. Twilight is beyond reproach, after all, and Octavia can earn her living however she wants. When she sticks around Ponyville, however, it becomes a slightly different story - Twilight is romantically-naive, after all, and Octavia is... most certainly not.

The romance of Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's protege, and Octavia van Clef, Canterlot's most famous entertainer.

Rated 'Teen'. Per FimFiction's rating guidelines, this story contains some 'more adult themes', but has no 'graphically adult content'. Rated primarily for sexually suggestive material, but also (in later chapters) alcohol use and adult language.

Equestria stands at the dawn of a new golden age of harmony and enlightenment. Six normal ponies have taken up the tools of the gods and defeated the greatest evils of history. A bookish unicorn filly is set to usher in a magical revolution. The first new alicorn in a millennium provides the promise of a coming era of peace and love.

Change is rarely peaceful.

In the wake of the Royal Wedding, the nation struggles with a scattered army which feeds upon the very thing that stands to elevate ponykind. However, Equestria's citizens, her heroes and even her gods discover that it is the enemy within that one really needs to fear.

King Sombra’s dark influence was obliterated by the Crystal Heart, and the villain is well and truly dead. But when he attempts to steal the afterlife of an innocent victim, a human spirit is left hurtling towards Equestria, where this unfortunate soul is revived into the only vessel available: the reconstituted body of King Sombra himself.

Thus, a cheerfully oblivious alien is crammed into the form of the most evil and malicious being Equestria has ever known. Not that Shining Armor and Cadence know this, of course. As far as they are concerned, the King is back and he’s lost his fricking mind.

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